“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

Sing with them, ye humans bold!
Sing of peace, justice unfold!
Ring the bells of liberty;
Ring them loud ‘til all are free.
Ring and sing and dance and shout;
Send oppressive tyrants out.
Swords to plowshares let us make;
Food, not arms, for Jesus’ sake.
Hark the herald angels sing:
The Prince of Peace is still our king.

“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”

O hush the noise, you strife-filled souls,
And hear the message clear:
God wills a peaceful time on earth
For all the creatures dear.

Embrace the hope that builds no walls,
The love that knows no fear.

Believe the words the angels sang,
The song of peace we hear.

For justice, love and peace we pray,
Like glorious songs of old.
Embolden us with joy to say…

Mid sorrows, hate untold…

Good will to all, with health imbue
A fragile, struggling earth.

With peace our hearts with love renew,
To show all creatures’ worth.

“Joy to the World”

Health to the earth, so torn with strife:
Her fragile life restore.
No more let greed and waste abound
nor racist hate nor lies be found.
So heaven and nature plead,
So heaven and nature plead.
So heaven, so heaven and nature plead.

Peace to the world, goodwill to all:
so did the angels sing
Of joy, love and equality
of justice and diversity.
The spheres with music ring,
The spheres with music ring,
The spheres, the spheres with music ring.

“Lo, How a Rose is Blooming”

Lo, how a rose is blooming
from ancient stem re-sprung.
Amid the chaos looming
as bards of old have sung.
It comes a flow’ret bright
with fragrance full of music
when half spent is our fright

How can this rose now blooming,
In days of greed and lies,
Withstand the threats, the dooming,
of guns, of hope that dies?

It comes a flow’ret bright
Inspiring us to action
mid hatred’s ugly blight.

We pray the bloom restores us
with hope and love and might.
And shows a vision glorious
Of sanity and right.

It comes a flow’ret bright
aglow with peace and justice
and loving, holy light.

“In the Bleak Midwinter”

In the bleak midwinter
bitter storms may blow.
Drones and dominations
Chill the hopes we know.
Yet snow with sparkles glisten;
Trees proclaim with mirth
Peace and love and wonder —
Songs of Holy Birth.

“Wake, Awake for Night is Flying” (Advent hymn)

Wake, Awake, Creation’s groaning,
The children of the world are moaning.
Give birth, O mother earth at last!
Midnight hears the jubilation
The people of the revelation
Mid songs of peace and love, at last!
The travail and the pain
By joy have lost their reign: Alleluia!
God’s children by the Spir’t revealed
The spheres with freedom’s music peal.

Wake, Awake, Death’s forces scorning –
All hateful rage mocks Easter’s morning!
Reveal yourselves, ye saints, at last!
Fear and hatred’s days are numbered,
Love, justice are now unencumbered
When peace breaks through in human hearts.
Like mighty flowing streams
Revive historic dreams: Alleluia!
Where lambs will mute the lion’s roar
With songs their Maker to adore.

Wake, Awake, the hungry call us.
The sick, imprison’d, as Christ befall us.
With hope, ye saints, go forth at last.
Thirsty, naked and the stranger
Need hope and love against all danger.
You’re called to give yourself at last.
Emboldened by his words,
Make plowshares out of swords: Alleluia!
May nations put to end their rage
And peace endure from age to age.

Wake, Awake, God’s Word sustains us.
The Eucharist with food maintains us.
With psalms and chants our hope we sing.
While we’re here and frailly mortal
Prepare us for the heavenly portal
With strength and love. God’s mercy bring
Our souls at last to be
With God eternally: Alleluia!
Our hearts with adoration bring
When with the angel chorus sing.

contact:rhosul@earthlink.net